


Growing Useful

by Blaze22



Category: No Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Betrayal, Character Death, Dystopia, Gen, Inspired by Minecraft: Story Mode Episode 7, Minor Violence, Sad Ending, may have a sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-10-29 06:11:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17802533
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blaze22/pseuds/Blaze22
Summary: Taking place in the United States of America, this dystopian society has created a serum that allows humans to perform to their fullest potential. But, it has fallen into the wrong hands, and there may be more to it than meets the eye. Issued by the Government, this serum allows people to become useful at the age of sixteen - or, rather, forces them to.Piper, a fifteen-year-old girl, finds herself trapped inside of this grey world. Instead of living her dream, which is to see the world, she is forced to face the fact that a life of pure work looms in her quickly approaching future. Her decision?Run.





	Growing Useful

Grey walls surrounded her. The house she was inside of was like a carbon copy of every other house on the street. The fifteen-year-old girl sitting at the kitchen table was clothed in bland attire: a grey, short-sleeved shirt, jeans, and tennis shoes. The reason? The Government manufactured and distributed supplies all across the United States of America, aided by the Working class. That included her parents, and, now, her older brother. 

Piper brushed a strand of curly, brown hair out of her vision. Her hand returned to shoveling bland cereal into her mouth with a spoon as her eyes flicked to the tall, well-muscled boy standing at the sink. His motions were slow and precise while he dried the clean dishes.

“Ollie, do you ever get to see another city?” she asked after swallowing the food. The brown skinned, curly-haired male was her older sibling, who worked as a truck driver. That job, like every employment, had been chosen based on a test that was taken at the age of sixteen. The test results were used by the Government to determine what skill the person would be most useful at. Piper’s mother worked as a garbage collector, whereas her father worked on a farm that was located at the outskirts of where their home was - Bonner Springs, a suburb of Kansas City.

Piper would take this test on her sixteenth birthday. It determined if she would advance to the Intelligent Elitists, something only a select few were chosen for, or be forced to do a menial task for the remainder of her life. That thought made her want to curl up in a ball and hide - she wanted to travel the world and see what it was like, not just through the small, square pictures in her history textbook.

_I have no chance of making it up there. I’ll be stuck in this city ‘til the day I die._

“Piper, I’ve told you. I go up to Kansas City and back here. That’s all,” he said. Oliver reached up and put a cup away in the cupboard. He draped the towel over his shoulder and turned around, hands gripping the edge of the counter as he leaned back against it, his brown gaze boring into her. The stocky girl looked down at her bowl, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. She was acutely aware of the green chip that was embedded into his right wrist flashing in her peripheral vision as he walked out of the room. She missed his loud, warm laugh. She missed his wide grin he flashed whenever he tossed a joke at her. She missed getting her hair ruffled whenever he walked by. She even missed his snide, petty insults that he shot her way. But all of that had gone away when that thing got put on him and he ‘matured’. 

The green chip injected a serum into the bloodstream once a week. They had been taught that it allowed the human body to perform to its fullest potential - which it did. Piper had heard that it could be compared to the steroids that had existed nearly a century ago, though this serum was healthier. The thought of that green liquid entering her bloodstream made her shudder. 

Approximately an hour passed as Piper got ready for school, rode the bus, and arrived at the square building sitting on the corner of the block. She trudged up the sidewalk with the mass of her peers, all clothed in drab colors. It was not long until she sensed a presence by her side. It was her closest friend, Thea. She practically radiated enthusiasm as she beamed at Piper, blond hair gently framing her pale features. “Hey Piper!” she said, shouldering her bag. 

“Hey.”

“Whoa, someone’s glum. Why’re you so down?” Thea asked. Piper’s full lips twitched into a small smile. If a person was not smiling, Thea was always there to cheer them up. Piper shrugged, a brisk breeze whipping past her face. “Just thinking about the test coming up for me,” she said.

The fourteen-year-old frowned and said, “Oh. But that’s, like, in four months, right?” Piper nodded and entered through a rotating glass door, subconsciously aware of the cameras in the corners rotating to train on the crowd of students. The brown skinned girl glanced at her talkative friend, biting the inside of her cheek to stop herself from explaining. If she spoke her mind, she surely would be punished for speaking against the system like that. How could she even express her reluctance to move into the workforce that grew day by day? Plus, Thea would most likely never understand. She always tried to see the best in everything, even something like this.

Thea began to speak, her clear, blue eyes lighting up. “Did you hear about that guy? Apparently he sat outside the school yesterday; he refused to take his test. I can’t believe he didn’t. They even sent Security after him. Can you believe it?” Piper listened attentively, muscles in her neck becoming pronounced as she swallowed. Before she could ask Thea about any other details, the bell rang and she was swept into a classroom with the other final year students. 

Piper was sitting in a room surrounded by four grey walls. In front of the classroom stood a curvy woman -- called Mrs. Riley -- whose hawkish eyes swept over the students crammed into the space, her crooked nose tilted up. “All right students - let’s begin.”

“As you already know, at the age of sixteen -- which is an age quickly approaching for you all -- a test is completed by each individual to determine your cognitive skill level. A select few who score high enough will be placed within the Intelligent Elitists and train to become the most useful you can be in their ranks. Every person after completing the test will receive a chip inside of their right wrist.”

As Mrs. Riley droned on, something caught Piper’s attention. Or, rather, someone. A boy with messy, black hair had his head buried in his hands. But, oddly enough, a green chip was blinking on the inside of his wrist. Why did _he_ have a chip? No kid here should have one. 

“The serum from the chip is injected through the body, as you all know, which allows genetic modification to take place - therefore making the person useful. This life-saving invention was created by the group of scientists who we know as the Government today. Though, as taught in your previous classes, it was -- and still is -- used on the livestock and crops across America to help them grow to their fullest potential; this allowed us to pull out of our devastating debt -”

The woman was interrupted by a loud cough that sounded like it was forced past a windpipe. Piper stiffened as she saw the black-haired boy she had been watching start to hack. It was then when she realized the presence of angry, red boils scattered on his forearms, where green colored veins bulged on the underside of his wrists. Horror engulfed her as he tilted out of the chair and fell to the ground, still coughing horribly, like his lungs would come out of his throat any second. She looked up frantically, seeing that Mrs. Riley had stopped talking and was staring with disdain at the boy, not moving to help him. 

The classroom was completely silent. The boy’s coughing fit was over as soon as it began. His limbs, once stiff with tension, relaxed. His lanky body was limp on the ground as scarlet -- and was it also green? -- liquid dripped from his lips, forming a small puddle on the linoleum floor; he was dead. 

Piper felt bile rise to the back of her throat as she stared at him. What had happened? Why was Mrs. Riley just standing there, looking at his form like it was a piece of trash? Millions of questions rose to the tip of her tongue, but none spilled out to fill the silence. She was too afraid of having eyes on her and being questioned like she wanted to question them.

Fluorescent lights spun dizzily in her vision. A Security woman entered the classroom and dragged his body away, smearing a trail of blood on the floor. Someone came to clean up the blood that stained the floor. Class resumed. Why were they still in this room? A person just _died_ here, for heaven’s sakes. 

After what felt like an eternity, school was over. Students either went home for the rest of the evening, which was when school was released, or snuck off to meet up with their gang. Either way, each would repeat the process the next day.

Piper suddenly took Thea, who was walking beside her on the sidewalk and chattering up a storm, by the hand and pulled her aside. It stopped the shorter girl’s rambling words, her pale features scrunching up in annoyance. “What’s your problem?” she said, tone climbing to a whiny pitch. Piper ignored her protests and said, “Thea. I can’t.” Her brown eyes, full of anxiety, darted every which way.

“Can’t _what_?” Thea was then being pulled along by the wrist by Piper, who was heading to her house. No sense in taking the stuffy bus on a pleasant spring evening like this. “And why are you so pale?”

“Do this. The test. If I refuse . . . you heard what happened to my classmate. The boy you told me about this morning - that was him. I saw him die. It’s horrible. I think that happens if you disobey,” Piper said, voice quiet as they wove around other students on the smooth sidewalk. “Think about it.” She shot the blonde a sympathetic look. “Remember your Mom?” Thea’s mother had been so intent on her children making the Intelligent Elitists that when Thea’s two older twin siblings did not make the cut, she died of overdose. Or so they said. She had been found coughing on the floor one minute, and dead the next. 

Thea began to sputter, her cheeks flaming up with red. “You’re saying the Government’s technology was behind that? Where’d you get _that_ from?” They were now standing in front of Piper’s house. 

“Thea, please. We need to go. Now.” Piper was startled herself at the words coming from her mouth. She was not the type to speak her mind -- no one was in this city -- but this instinct, one she had only experienced in small doses before, was overwhelming her so much that she felt like she needed to cry. Shout. Run until she could not breathe any longer. 

“Where would we go?” Thea asked. She was hesitant, but her face was slowly lighting up with hope as she looked up to Piper. 

“I’m coming with you.”

Piper startled at the low voice that seemed to have come out of nowhere. She opened her mouth to retort back as she turned, but she was met with the sight of Oliver, arms crossed as he stood on the sidewalk that lead up to their house. She relaxed. “Oliver? You really want to leave?”

“Yes. I'd rather you not go, but, knowing you, you’ve probably got your mind set in stone - and you need someone to protect you. But we need to get going now. The Government has eyes and ears everywhere,” he said. Piper’s thick eyebrows furrowed. For the first time in several years, her brother actually sounded like himself. Though his words were serious, his brown eyes sparkled as he watched her, which warmed her heart.

“Thanks so much Ollie. Let’s get supplies before we go.”

Minutes passed as the sun continued its descent down the sky. The three of them gathered supplies quickly, anxious to be gone before their parents came home from work. Thea bounced around the rooms of the house, acting like an excited dog as she tripped the other two up on occasion in her enthusiasm. At last, the trio exited the house and crept along the sidewalk. By now it was past curfew for teenagers, apparent by the muted, dusky hues painting the horizon. Piper’s heart pounded in her chest as they moved along, each step taken against the concrete sounding like a gunshot to her ears. 

“Hey! Stop right there!” came a hoarse cry.

“Run!” Piper cried. 

And run they did. Their feet pounded on the pavement, shoes touching the ground for a second before lifting up again. Down, up, down, up. The city gate was in sight, though the two walls were slowly beginning to scrape shut. Two hundred feet. Her lungs ached as she hastened to swallow oxygen, her muscles burning like a fire was lit inside her skin. One hundred feet.

Oliver was at the front, Thea in the middle, and Piper in the back, who struggled to keep a fast pace for so long. She risked a look over her shoulder and gasped. There were two Security cars tearing after them. Piper looked back ahead, seeing that the space between the grating walls was narrowing by the second. She pushed harder, fingernails digging her palms as her arms pumped by her sides. Ten feet, car tires roaring in her eardrums. 

Oliver was through first, then Thea. The curly-haired boy extended his arms out to Piper, and she was bundled against his chest just as the concrete walls thudded shut. He had saved her. They could hear a screech of tires as the cars came to a halt on the other side. Numb with shock, Piper straightened as Oliver released his strong grasp on her. “Thank you,” she whispered. He nodded curtly, forehead creasing as he scanned the two girls to check for injuries. 

Thea chirped up, her cheery words brightly contrasting the sullen atmosphere. “Wow, that was insane!”

 _More like insanely easy,_ she thought Piper had assumed that they would need to do more than just sprint one distance to escape with their lives. She did not have time to dwell on it, however, as Oliver spoke up.

“Okay, Piper. This was your idea. Where do we go next?” His brown gaze bored into her, and she suddenly felt uncomfortable. Now that the chase was over, where could they go? They had food and water in their packs that would last them several days, but what would come after that? 

Piper straightened up and smoothed down her wrinkled grey shirt, mustering up a small amount of false confidence. “I think we should head for the farms. Thea’s told me rumors that there’s suspicious activity that sometimes takes place around them, like raids. Maybe there are people out there who don’t live in a city.” That statement felt like an arrow shot in the dark, but the two seemed to think it was a good idea. After everyone mutually agreed, they set off, walking side by side. Finally, eyes wide, Piper was able to absorb her surroundings.

Spread in front of them was a grassland, with an occasional tree here and there, each bearing small, green leaves on its budding branches. A few rolling, green hills dotted the landscape that went on for miles, whipping a cool breeze through her curly brown hair and across her face. 

They walked for what felt like days, though it was only for several hours. Piper encouraged them to keep moving, despite her burning calves and Thea’s complaints. Night had fallen, and it was the best time to travel, where they would have a smaller chance of being spotted. She was confident no one was chasing them because helicopters were only available in Kansas City, plus she doubted three teenagers escaping from one small city would be a huge issue to the Government.

_Oh, no._

Beneath them, in the valley of the hill they had just finished climbing, was a sprawling farm. Although it was night, lights were radiating from the pristine buildings. A soft neigh and moo sounded from the large, fenced fields below. Paved roads ran along the sides of the expanse of land. They had stumbled onto one of the Government’s farming properties. True, it was the location they had been aiming for, but they had wandered far too close for comfort. 

“Guys, let’s get out of here before we’re caught,” Piper said, hysteria creeping into her quiet words. Dizzying fear nearly swept her off of her tired feet that screamed for rest. Before anyone could respond, someone from behind grabbed her wrists and roughly pinned them behind her back.

“Who are you? Answer, before I shoot your brains out,” a voice snarled, terrifyingly close to her ear. The person accuentated their words with a tug on Piper’s arms. Eyes wide with terror, she twisted her head to see that Oliver and Thea were being held in similar positions, both extremely tense as they struggled uselessly. She finally found it in herself to choke out a response. “I-I’m Piper. Th-That’s Oliver, and she’s Thea.”

“What’re you doing out here in the middle of the night?” 

“We, er . . .” Piper futility searched for an excuse. Surely they had been caught by the Government. But wouldn’t they have been killed on sight if so?

“We’re runaways from Bonner Springs,” Thea meekly said. Piper glared at the small girl for admitting the truth. A hum was heard from them as Piper’s wrists were released and they stepped around her and into the middle of the circle they had formed. 

“Keep your hands above your head and don’t try any funny business. Let me look at you,” they said as they turned to her. The brunette complied, even though her hand itched to dart to the kitchen knife strapped to her waistband.

 _Rebellion,_ was the first word that came to Piper’s mind as she scanned the tall, matured girl who was scrutinizing her, cloaked by the dark shadows.  
A scowl was etched onto her tanned, freckled face. Her oval-shaped face was framed by a head of raven black hair that was pulled into a high messy bun. She crossed her arms over her chest. Piper clearly saw that she was not part of the Government or Security - she was clothed in dark attire, most useful for what looked like living in the wilderness.

“And who are _you_?” Oliver asked, jerking impatiently against the person restraining him.

The girl cocked an arched eyebrow. She was silent for a moment as her piercing, hazel eyes dragged over the three of them, taking in their haggard appearances. 

“The name’s Juniper.” She jerked her chin, and the two holding Oliver and Thea released them. “You three really escaped from Bonner Springs back there? Now that’s a hoot. C’mon, follow me. Tell me what happened.” 

Piper heaved a sigh of relief. Apparently their scraggly and defenseless appearances had temporarily gained Juniper’s trust.

As they walked away from the farm, Piper recounted the events that had occurred that evening to Juniper. The older girl seemed to be less than impressed as they walked around a pond. 

Juniper said, “I’ve seen countless deaths at the hands of the Government, especially those who are runaways. You got lucky - not a scratch on you. And what you saw happen to your classmate isn’t uncommon; your suspicions are right. I’m just glad you got away with a mind of your own.” There was a moment of silence. “Caleb over here can tell you about it, he’s better at explaining this stuff than me.” 

The black-haired girl motioned over one of the two boys walking close by who had been originally with her. “Meet Caleb,” she said. With that, Juniper walked away. Piper raised her eyebrows as she looked at Caleb, exhaling sharply through her nose in amusement at her abruptness.

He was of average height, had a slim build, and a shock of auburn hair on top of his head. He hesitantly glanced at her, his startling green eyes wide behind a pair of thick, black glasses. Caleb cleared his throat and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, his pale features dotted with brown freckles. “Er, hi. You said Piper, right?” His words were soft-spoken.

Piper nodded, offering a small smile. 

He returned it nervously. “Well, about what Juniper said. Gathered from my research, I’ve concluded that through the chips the Government controls the work ethic of the whole population - including those Elitists. Makes them put their newfound ‘skills’ administered by the serum to work, whether they want to or not. I think that sixteen is simply the age that is safe for the technology to be inserted into the body, but that’s just a theory of mine.”

Piper’s thick brows furrowed. “Huh. I’m glad I got away when I did.” Caleb nodded and said quietly, “Me too.” His eyes lit up as Juniper, who was just ahead of them, stopped. “We’re here!” he said.

Suddenly, as if the landscape had shapeshifted right in front of her eyes, there was a bustling camp in front of them. There was a fire burning in the middle of the clearing, shadowy figures lurking near tents, and supplies stacked at random locations. Piper’s brown eyes widened at the sight. 

With a smile, Caleb said, “Welcome to the Rebellion, Piper.”

─━━━━━━⊱✿⊰━━━━━━─

A whole day had passed. The trio had quickly been put to work after the few hours of sleep they were allowed for the remainder of the night. The Rebellion -- which consisted of approximately twenty young people -- had been highly suspicious of the newcomers, due to them being strangers. The three, subdued, kept their heads down for the majority of the time and did as they were told, which included learning how to pitch a tent or how to keep watch. Thea had teased Piper that evening about Caleb, joking that Piper now had a new puppy who was keen on following her around everywhere. Even though it was true that she and the shy boy had formed a quick friendship with one another, Piper had swiftly told her friend to shut up.

Piper wrapped her arms around her knees, staring at the side of the tent she was sitting in. Shadows flickered on it, created by the dancing light that was cast by the crackling fire located in the middle of the camp. She was sitting on top of a thin mat, where Thea slept beside her, snores pouring from her mouth. She rocked back and forth, restlessness consuming her mind, though not her sore, tired body. In just over twenty-four hours, she had left behind the only life she had ever known. The cycle of going to school and back home to her overworked parents, only to repeat it the next day, was completely broken. Now she would have to scrounge for food and water, instead of eating the rations provided. On the bright side, she had freedom. The concept was still something she could not wrap her mind around. This was what she wanted, right? She did not have to work a manual job the rest of her life in a confining building or a farm. She could see the world now. Seeing the hills around her today in the sunlight was brand new and so refreshing. She had never seen anything like it before - it was all so lively compared to the grey city she used to live in. 

_Schwip._

The noise was so, so quiet, like the buzz of a gnat in her ear. She did not see the head of the small gun poking through the tent flap. 

It all happened in a matter of seconds. Piper turned her head to Thea as she heard an odd gurgling noise. She saw a needle oozing green liquid sticking out of Thea’s thigh. Thea’s eyes had shot open and were darting around, her mouth moving up and down soundlessly. Then she began to cough. Finally, her startling blue gaze found its way to her horrified friend. 

“Pi-Piper . . .” she said, voice hoarse and shaky. 

No. 

No, no, _no_.

Piper shot up and kneeled by her side. She shook Thea’s twiglike arm, not realizing that she was shouting the words.

_Stop coughing, please, stop coughing._

Her best friend stopped coughing, but not in the way Piper had wanted. Instead, as she struggled for breath, her beautiful, now dull, blue eyes slipped shut. Thea had fallen asleep for the final time.

Hardly conscious of her own screams, Piper stood up, tears streaking down her cheeks. Everything was muted, but she was now aware that a fight was occurring outside. The curly-haired brunette moved to exit the tent, but the head of a gun was there. Before she could brace herself for a fate like Thea’s, it was shoved out of the way as a silhouette tackled the kneeling figure holding the weapon. Piper ducked outside, muscles stiff with horror. 

Figures clad in the green uniforms of Security were running through the camp. Lean, darkly clothed people collided with them, bodies and limbs clashing grotesquely. The scene was partly illuminated by the full moon shining above and the fire burning in the center of the clearing. One person nearby was taking two Security on at once. It was Juniper. Piper watched, frozen, as the girl whirled around and buried the hilt of her dagger into one man’s stomach and yanked it out, then turned and punched a burly woman in the face and repeated what she did to the first man. They both collapsed to the ground. The green chip’s light blinking from each of their wrists slowly died out.

“Everyone! Abandon camp, go to the rendezvous!” Juniper shouted. She turned to Piper, her high cheekbones shining with sweat. “Follow me.” She began to run south, out of the camp. Piper took one step backwards, grimacing as her foot bumped a dead, small body. “Juniper, wait! I don’t know where Caleb is.” Her throat closed like a vice as she scanned the brutal, chaotic clearing. 

“There’s no time. Come with me before you’re shot dead,” came the harsh reply. Piper stifled a sob and began to run after the girl disappearing in the distance, her feet stumbling over roots and stones that seemed to appear from nowhere. It was pitch dark now, only the moon and stars there to guide her. The camp had been left behind. Her best friend’s body was left behind. Her brother was -

A pair of strong arms tackled her. The breath exited her lungs with a whoosh. Piper screamed, her throat raw. She squeezed her eyes shut as her back was pressed harshly to the ground. She could feel hot breath on her cheek. That was when she opened her eyes to stare into a pair of glazed over brown eyes, flecked with gold. 

“Oliver!” He was all right! Relief coursed through her veins. She frowned as she wiggled in his strong grip. “Get off me, you big oaf.”

There was no reply. Instead, he raised his right hand, gripping a syringe filled with a murky, green liquid that reflected in the light of his blinking chip. A fresh wave of horror washed over her. She was about to die the same death Thea had, but in the hands of her brother. There was no way Oliver would do this, though. That deadly weapon only belonged to the government. 

“Oliver, stop. What are you doing?” she forced out. Her heart seemed to skip several beats as he snarled down at her, expression darkening.

“This serum really improves my ability, y’know. Lets me do just what they want. Just like you should have been, and how everyone will be. _Useful_.” 

Her blood ran cold. Those were not Oliver’s words. They were the Government’s. Before it could all click into place, he began to bring the needle down. She shut her eyes tight, tears squeezing from beneath her eyelashes. Oliver whispered in her ear, his soft tone differing greatly from the cruel words he had just spoken. 

“I . . . I am so sorry. Find the Kamm.” 

Then there was nothing. No weight holding her down. No needle piercing her skin. Piper opened her eyes to see Juniper wrestling with Oliver. Grunts filled the air, until it was finally silent. The two bodies were still, and she could not tell who was alive. Finally Juniper stood up, blood dripping from her dagger. She avoided Piper’s gaze as she crouched down to wipe the blade on the grass, a bruise on her cheek.

Silent, the pair of females rose and moved on. This had to be a nightmare! Piper was numb, feeling as if she was walking on ice and she would soon plunge into the icy depths with one misplaced step. Tears fell down her face, grief weighing heavily on her heart. Thea’s cheerful spirit and Oliver’s steady presence were now gone forever.

There were others now. She and Juniper finally quit walking, stopping within an alcove of trees. Caleb was there with a young boy and a girl near her age. Juniper and Caleb began to converse, whispering to each other. They all continued to walk after twenty minutes had passed - everyone silently knew that the others had not survived. 

Juniper and Caleb continued to talk. Piper could not help but listen in on the hushed conversation. 

Caleb quietly said, “I know it was the serum. It all makes sense now. Not only does the programming in the chip allow the person to work to their fullest potential, but something in the genetic manipulation controls their actions, emotions, etcetera. Just like a robot. And there’s only one way they could have found us . . . I suspect there are cameras installed in the chips too, or maybe some sort of tracker.”

“If you say so.” Juniper conspicuously looked at the three others walking. Piper kept her eyes trained on the ground. “No one with us was chipped until those three came. It had to have been a ploy by the Government, hearing how easy their escape was. Shame.”

Piper gritted her teeth in sudden anger, a slight squeaking noise becoming audible. Her brother had been a pawn this whole time. Their words only confirmed what she had assumed after he had nearly killed her. The whole of society, not just Oliver, was under the Government’s thumb.

“There’s something else in the serum, too. I’ve been researching why a person dies of those coughing fits,” Caleb said. “And it has to be that. It’s all in the programming. They used the virus, just the deadly stuff that’s issued, as a weapon tonight, too. That’s what rendered most of our group . . . unable to escape.” Piper could see him running his fingers through his auburn hair distractedly. “Their technology is so intricate, I can barely begin to understand it.”

The night wore on, with the five of them trekking through the countryside, careful to avoid the roads and to keep an eye on their back. As dawn rose, Juniper led them into a shallow cave on the side of a hill. Piper sat with her back against one of the rough walls, staring at nothing as Juniper and the other two settled down to sleep. How could they sleep? She found it impossible. Her mind raced, replaying Thea’s and Oliver’s gruesome deaths over and over again until she could not take it anymore. She needed fresh air. The stocky girl stood up and walked outside, only to find Caleb keeping watch. 

“Mind if I join you?” she asked. Caleb jerked to attention and quickly crossed his arms over his chest. He nodded. Piper settled beside him, legs folding beneath her.

They were silent, no conversation attempting to be made as they watched the sun rise over a hill in the distance, crimson and orange bleeding over the horizon. Thea loved sunrises. Piper sniffed and wiped at her nose with the back of her hand. She felt Caleb’s emerald gaze turn to her.

“Is everything all right?” he asked gently. “I mean, I know everything’s not all right, but . . .” he trailed off awkwardly and rubbed the back of his neck.  
Feeling choked up, Piper slowly shook her head. She rested her elbows on her knees and buried her face in her hands. 

“I lost my best friend. And my brother,” she managed out. Then a soft sob ripped through her. Just when she thought she had no tears left. Piper could no longer stifle her cries of grief, and she eventually became aware that Caleb had moved to wrap his slim arms around her, hesitant in his actions. She froze for a split second but soon returned the hug, quick to stain his shirt with her tears. After a moment passed she calmed down, feeling slightly comforted, and they pulled apart. 

She sniffed and wiped at her face, a hiccup bubbling up her sore throat. “Thank you,” she whispered.  
Caleb nodded, shyly avoiding her gaze as he reached to push his glasses up his nose. 

That was when she saw it. His veins beneath his pale skin were green, and the underside of his arm sported small, bright red boils.

He began to cough into the crook of his elbow. 

“Juniper!” Piper shouted. “Juniper come quick! It’s Caleb-” She scrambled to her feet as he doubled over, gasping for breath. Juniper darted outside, dagger in hand as she looked around wildly before she saw Caleb, who was breaking into another coughing fit.  
Juniper knelt down in front of him and put her hands on his shoulders. “Caleb, look at me. Look at me, damn it!” She shook him. “You said you weren’t hurt, you selfless brat. Stay with me, c’mon.”

Caleb’s only response was more coughing, each hack growing worse one by one. His eyes opened as he loosely gripped Juniper’s forearms, now watching her as his chest heaved. A small smile curled onto his lips. “It was a . . . fun ride while it lasted.” His bright, emerald gaze found Piper, who watched, frozen in fear. “Fight for them, Piper. I know you can do it. If not for yourself, do it for them.” 

He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he was cut off as he began to cough again. This bout died off much more quickly than the one preceding it. The boy took one final, shaky breath, then went limp. 

Juniper’s head dropped. She gently lowered Caleb to the ground and slid his eyelids shut with her fingertips. Her back was to Piper for a long moment, head down. “He was like my little brother,” she said, so quiet that Piper nearly failed to hear her words. 

“I’m sorry,” Piper whispered. She meant those two words with every fiber of her being. Sorry that she brought Oliver, used as a spy for the Government, unknowingly into the Rebellion’s core. Sorry that she destroyed Thea’s innocent life. Sorry that Caleb and so many others were dead because of her incoherent thinking. 

Juniper only shook her head and turned around, hazel eyes flashing dangerously. “It’s the Government. They got the best of me. Of him. Of all of us!” She kicked the ground with her foot. “How could I let so many die . . .” The last sentence was whispered as she turned back to Caleb. 

Piper winced. “I don’t know if this is the time,” she said, watching the older girl carefully. “But Oliver told me something when he was about to . . . kill me.”  
Juniper looked at her and cocked an eyebrow. “Spit it out already.”

Piper swallowed. “He said ‘watch the Kamm’. I don’t know what that means, but I’m thinking since there were cameras in those chi-”

Juniper interrupted her and held her forefinger up. “No. Caleb mentioned that once, from one of those books that he loved to read. It’s a person. A name,” she paused and tapped her chin, searching her memory. “Something about creating the serums.” She groaned in frustration, words sharp. “I can’t remember. But it might come to me.” Guilt roiled in Piper’s stomach. If Caleb was not dead, they could have asked him. 

“Go get some rest,” Juniper said decisively. “Whoever that Kamm is, we’re going to find them. It’s the only thing that’s left. We leave tonight for a city.”

She shooed Piper away, who stepped into the cave, throwing a glance over her shoulder as she watched Juniper crouch beside the dead boy. 

She had so much loss heavily weighing on her heart, but purpose now rested upon her shoulders. Surrounded by the grey walls of the cave, Piper knew one thing - whatever else faced her in the future, loved ones by her side or not, she would push through it all. 

For them.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey there! This was written for my English class, but I figured I'd post it here because I had a lot of fun writing it(as much fun an author can have killing off half of their characters ;) ).   
> If you enjoyed, a kudos is appreciated, though not required.Thanks a bunch for reading! <3


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